Steve Mellon, a Post-Gazette staff photographer and historian, delighted the Allegheny City Society with a visual retelling of the 1927 Gas Tank Explosion in Pittsburgh.
There were three gas tanks located in Pittsburgh’s Northside. The tanks were built to expand during the night as they filled with natural gas. Throughout the day, the gas would be distributed to Pittsburgh residents and slowly contract. After many years of use, there was an effort to repair the tanks. During the repairs, the tanks were ignited and chaos ensued.
